Q: Why is my pup shedding so much in the winter ?

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Nuvo has been with me since 5 weeks of age ,all while I had her she has had a very short flat haired coat and now that it is winter her fur has really grown. I always thought that dogs grew more fur in the winter to protect them from the cold , but Nuvo is growing and shedding a whole lot and the strands of her hair is getting longer. I am so confused , why is she shedding so much ? What should I do ?

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Hello Shay,
I've been a professional pet stylist for 23 years and have worked with many vets so I have answered this question may times. Short coated dogs shed alot more than rough or long coated dogs. They do this because they are constantly regenerating their coat. Many of these breeds were developed to be some sort of sport, guard, hunting or retrieving dogs so the constant renewal of the coat keeps their skin healthy. (the dogs weren't necessarily developed to be indoors full time)
In the winter she may put on a thick, wooly undercoat. This undercoat will help her to stay warm but will also regenerate constantly. Undercoat will be shorter and more dense than her outer or guard hairs. This may account for the longer hairs you are seeing. You didn't say how old your baby was, but sometimes age is a factor and young dogs can go through several coat changes before they reach maturity.
More than likely this is normal, but if she is scratching, has irritated skin or a sour or bad smell to her skin, ears or breath, be sure to ask your vet about it. Brushing with a rubber brush such as a "Zoom Groom" and using a conditioning spray should help. Never use a bristle or slicker brush on a smooth coated dog as this may irritate her skin and aggravate the situation.
I have a Rat Terrier that deals with this type of shedding every winter. Hope this has helped in some small way.

she's probably still shedding her old coat and the new coat is helping to force it out. in spring and fall dogs need to be brushed more to pull out the old coat and it can be really easy to get behind on {i'm still pulling out chunks from my aussies coat and since october i've probably collected an entire dog from her old coat!}
give your pup a few thorough 20 minute brushes over the next week or two and i'm sure you'll see a big difference. even though she has a short coat, try to brush her regularly once or twice a week.

YA DONT GET ME STARTED WITH THIS....
I always thought short haird dogs wuldnt shed alot....
well I was totalllllly wrong! Sasha sheds like crazy no matter how much I brush her.
Its just something ive realized im going to have to live with! lol!